"And indeed, the burden of Cassandra's "gift" is evident in mythology. She predicted the outcome of many disastrous events. In one memorable example, Cassandra announced the dire consequences of the Trojans accepting the infamous Wooden Horse from their Greek opponents. But as Apollo made certain, no one believed Cassandra when she warned her companions about the future. And this, in the end, was to be Cassandra's tragic fate."

Monday, February 21, 2005

Alfred Kinsey, Joe McCarthy, PBS and the truth

I just got through watching PBS' American Experience documentary on Alfred Kinsey - not to be confused with the Hollywood version, which I haven't seen.

I don't know where to begin, but I will leave out most of my comments so that I can keep this post brief(??).

Kinsey, for those who don't know, was a sex researcher who traveled the country interviewing thousands of people (including prostitutes, pedophiles and prisoners) on their sexual preferences, history and background. Kinsey produced voluminous reports that "proved" that America was full of perverts. At one point, Kinsey even undertook a two year project to film various sex acts. Kinsey's "work" was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation.

The documentary contained one blatant lie that I know of. The documentary showed film of Joe McCarthy conducting hearings into communist activity. The narrator engaged in a brief discussion of McCarthy. Without identifying the committee, the narrator then stated that a Congressional committee engaged in an investigation of Kinsey's activities and the Rockefeller foundation. The narrator blamed McCarthy for Kinsey's loss of funding.

The documentary strongly implied that McCarthy's committee had investigated Kinsey. In fact, a separate committee of the House of Representatives (the Reece committee) had investigated tax free foundations in 1953, including the Rockefeller foundation's funding of Kinsey. McCarthy not only was not part of this committee, he was not even a member of the House of Representatives. PBS' juxtaposition of McCarthy with the Reece Committee was designed to make Kinsey appear to be the victim.

It is interesting to note that this misleading reference to McCarthy does not appear in the PBS "timeline" at the PBS/Kinsey website. The "timeline" nowhere mentions McCarthy. MSM/DNC falsehoods often appear only in the form most easily disposed of down the memory hole - just in case the lie is later exposed. The film documentary appears briefly, the smear is accomplished, and the viewer has nothing to which to refer if the anti-McCarthy lie is exposed.

It is just this kind of misreporting of history that has resulted in the unfair demonization of Joe McCarthy over the years. For more details on McCarthy, see McCarthy and his Enemies or Treason.